Stay Strong
by ZolaKaramuii
Summary: "I am not here to be your friend Olivia, I can manage myself." "The way things have been going around it doesn't seem to true." "Well, you didn't dig deep enough in my life." "Sara, you can't expect to be able to fight every battle on your own" "Don't you think I know that?" "If you did, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I need you to stay strong." Rated T for now.
1. PROLOGUE

"Don't move or you'll be wiping her brains off the walls!" He holds the gun directly on my temple.

"Zach, we can talk this out." I try to calm him down.

"Don't you think it's a little late for that, Detective Radian?"

"No I don't, I promise. You can't kill me and expect to walk out here alive."

I look over to Olivia. Standing by my door. Her gun pointed directly on him in an attempt to save me.

"Zachary, just put the gun down." Olivia holds her stand still, with her service weapon.

"You'll kill me. I am not an idiot." He shouts.

"No I won't." She takes the clip out her weapon and sets in on the ground. "See? I swear I won't hurt you, just let her go."

"You're going to take me to jail I know you will! You're trying to trick me. They have chips implanted in our brains they can hear everything!" Zach uses his free hand to point to his head before securing his hand back on my neck.

"No one is trying to trick you." I say.

Olivia.

I stood not wanting to make a sudden move to set him off. Sara's black hair was sprayed over her face with blood coming down her temple from him striking her with the gun.

There's a knock on her closed apartment door and I realize something seconds too late.

"You are going to kill me! You are all terrorists here to destroy everything." Zachary looks back and forth from the door, me and Sara.

"Zachary, calm down." Sara's attempts to calm her captor's nerves down were failing.

"NYPD Open up!" An officer screams from outside her door. Everyone is silent until the door bursts open and things happen to quickly for a reaction.

Two shots. Sara tries to run and Zachary shoots her somewhere in her stomach. The officers that were once outside her door had shot Zachary in the chest and he falls out to the ground. I run over to Sara on the ground and find she was shot directly above her stomach, a little under the first rib going up.

The blood was going to fast through her long sleeved shirt and I didn't have time to think.

"Liv?" I hear her choke out. I was happy that she was still alive.

"Yeah." I respond.

"Don't let me die." I almost cry at the fact she thinks, that I would let her die.

"I won't." I start. "But if you die, I'm kicking your ass."

Sara struts out what I suppose is a laugh.

"I won't die. I promise." She says. Her eyes flutter closed and I think for a second she did actually die but I feel her pulse and find she was still alive, just unconscious. The EMT's finally arrive with a stretcher and they wheel her out.

"Is she going to be okay?" I ask one of the young EMT's.

"We can't tell yet. Too much blood." He responds quickly before running off to help.

I hear someone crying and I follow the unusual sound all the way to a closet in her hallway.

"Hello?" I call out.

"Let me out!" The voice screams. Opening the door, I find a girl sitting by herself, in the closet. She couldn't be no more than 12. She had dark black hair like Sara's but this girl had an Asian face.

"Sweetie, why are you in there?" I ask as she stands up and walks out the closet.

"He locked me in there." She responds.

"Who did?"

"The man. He told me that I couldn't come out until he came to get me."


	2. The A-Team

_**White lips, pale face**_

_**Breathing in snowflakes**_

_**Burnt lungs, sour taste**_

_**Light's gone, day's end**_

_**Struggling to pay rent**_

_**Long nights, strange men**_

_**And they say**_

_**She's in the Class A Team**_

_**Stuck in her daydream**_

_**Been this way since eighteen**_

_**But lately her face seems**_

_**Slowly sinking, wasting**_

_**Crumbling like pastries**_

_**And they scream**_

_**The worst things in life come free to us**_

_**Cause we're just under the upper hand**_

_**And go mad for a couple grams**_

_**And she don't want to go outside tonight**_

_**And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland**_

_**Or sells love to another man**_

_**It's too cold outside**_

_**For angels to fly**_

_**Angels to fly**_

It was months ago. To be exact, 7. 7 months ago, Amanda Rollins, an amazing detective, committed suicide.

It took a toll on everyone. Me, who thought of her as a sister, Cragen who was an equally amazing father figure and her partner, Fin who looked out for her more than any of us combined and multiplied by ten. Nick was a new detective just like her so they were already fit together.

One month before her suicide, a suspect in a serial of rapes and murder's hunted her down and stalked her for weeks after the mistrial.

I had gotten a phone from her in the middle of the night. I remember feeling confused on what she was saying, not being able to hear her and then the sounds. Her screams, the bruises and bones broken. Evidence lead to the fact that he, Carlos Sandoz stalked her after the mistrial to learn her schedule, where she would be at any given time.

A whole chain of events lead to her suicide and the rape was just the seed. They tortured her on the stand, saying that she planned for this to happen and that she planted evidence because she was so stuck on him being put away. But Amanda didn't shed a tear. Not publically at least. What happened behind her closed door was personal.

But then her 'replacement' came. But nothing could replace Amanda.

*BEFORE*

-Squad Room-

"Fin, we can't keep Amanda's desk as a shine as much as I want to. Clear it off?" Cragen says standing in the door frame of his office looking towards the grim squad room. It wasn't as bright without Amanda. But we all knew we had to get over it. Even though at this time it only happened 3 weeks ago. Watching him set his pencil down in frustration I stare.

Fin sighs loudly but still obeys by standing up and grabbing a box from Cragen, and starts putting things in it off her desk.

-Syria's (Sara) Apartment

Syria.

I am forgetting something. I know it. This consumed my time as I stood in front of the door to my apartment. I always get this. And I am always right. I am forgetting something. Setting the red backpack I had planned to take with me back on the ground I walk through my apartment.

(Excuse the black lines they will never show again.)

Taking my hat off my hair and shaking it out I sit on my couch trying to remember what exactly I forgot. Keys? I have that. Wallet? Check. Phone? Check. What was I forgetting?

It hits me. I walk straight up the stairs to my 'bedroom'. Surprising as it is, the apartment I live in was more a loft. It had stairs that lead up, not that high into an open space that held my bed, my desk and a bathroom. That was it. And of course, a small kitchen and a living room back downstairs. Nothing to extraordinary. I walk over to my black desk that always holds it place on the same wall as the door to the bathroom. Shuffling through papers that clutter the area, I find what I am looking for. Two pictures, one of Snow White and one of Rapunzel. I drew it for them after they saw me drawing a tree and said it looked like a real one and begged me to draw them princesses. They were for the family that lived on the first floor. Maya-Lin, who I've known for years, had 3 daughters, Stella, Novalee and Celestine. They were only 8 years old and had a fancy for princesses. But Stella was 12 and didn't seem to care for the outside world much.

Satisfied with finding the items, I prepare again to leave. Putting my hat back on, headphones around my neck and the pictures in hand, I walk downstairs.

"Sara!" A small voice shouts. Turning around, I see exactly who I was looking for. Nova and Celeste. When black hair they come running from out their apartment towards me.

"For you and for you." I hand them the pictures and their faces light up. I love these little girls they were very awesome kids if I do say so myself.

"Mama, look what Sara gave us!" Celestine shouts holding up the picture for her mother to see. Maya smiles at me before calling the girls back over to the apartment building and waving at me. I could see Stella in the living room reading something. Feeling happier than I was, I walk outside.

-Squad Room-

"So there is going to be a new detective?" Nick asks Cragen.

"Yes, she should be here very soon." He replies. I didn't want to have a new detective. Were we supposed to just up and forget about Amanda?

"Olivia?" I look up from the endless paperwork that had been piling my desk since yesterday.

"What?"

"Just making sure you're alive over there." Fin jokes. I roll my eyes playfully before continuing my paperwork. I never really understood why Amanda did it. Why she just up and killed herself. She didn't leave a note, a will or anything. Just found dead one morning. Maybe the pressure was too much for her. Amanda never cried on the stand or showed any type of emotion except darkness to us.

(Please excuse these stupid black lines they will never show again.)

Something goes past me. And when I look up, I see it's a person. I couldn't see the face because it was already at Cragen's door. Dark black pants and a long sleeved dark blue button up shirt was what she wore. The blue shirt was somewhat see-through and had a black tank top underneath. The mystery woman's hair was black in a long braid down the back. Please don't let this be the 'new detective'. She taps on the door lightly before I hear Cragen say come in and she walks in without acknowledging anyone else.

I look to Amaro and he shrugs it off. After 15 minutes of the woman being in Cragen's office, he and she both emerge from the door.

I finally get a good look at her face. She had blue eyes from what I could tell and a small stud piercing on her nose.

"Detectives, meet our new addition, Syria Radian." Captain Cragen announces holding his hand on the small of her back. Shit. This was the new detective. She could obviously not replace Amanda. Never in a million years. Syria had olive skin and an angular face.

"Syria worked in Essex Special Victims Unit for 5 years and recently moved to New York." He continues. A beeping goes over the squad room and Syria reaches for her phone in her back pocket.

"Excuse me for a moment please." Syria steps into the bathroom.

"Shining star…" I mumble going back to what I was doing.

"Olivia. Come here." Captain says walking towards his office.

"Uh oh someone's in trouble." Nick says laughing to Fin. I sigh and walk into his office.

Syria.

"Hey." I say into the phone. "Is she getting any better?"

"_They don't know. They're trying another round of chemo but it a 50/50 chance, Sara." _ Samuel says to me.

"Don't let them kill her okay?"

"_You know I won't"_

Neither of us says anything. The silence consumes us. I know she will get better I just do.

"_Sara, she is going to get better that's a promise."_

"I know. She'd be better at it than me."

"_I got to go, doctors hassling me over a damn phone."_

"Bye."

"_I'll call you if I hear anything."_

The phone clicks off and I walk over to the sink in the women's restroom. I stare at my reflection. All I see is a girl. Nobody else. I hear the door open and see it's one of the detective's. The brunette walks into a stall and closes the door behind her. I lift a piece of hair off my face and reveal a long scar from my forehead to the beginning of my ear.

Tired with seeing myself I walk back into the open squad room filled with 1 more detective than I had saw at first. A tall older man with white hair.

"Well if isn't the new detective, Syria." An also tall man, but with black hair and a Cuban looking descent.

"That's me." I say with a suck in of air.

"I'm John Munch, the handsome one." The older man says.

"He's John Munch, the liar. I'm Fin Tutuola." The dark-skinned man says. The last unknown man just laughs and goes back to whatever he was doing.

"I hear you're from Jersey." The Cuban stares at me. "What's it like there?"

"Nothing spectacular. I prefer California more." I answer shrugging. This felt like high school somewhat.

"Then why did you move here? Why not California?"

"Um, my sister was diagnosed with stage 3 bone cancer 2 years ago. She lives here in New York so the rest is self-explanatory."

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked." He replies.

"Kind of a depressing topic isn't it?" I put on a small smile.

"I'm Nick Amaro. Glad to have you here." The he smiles at me. And I don't know why, but I feel like I won some type of contest. Like I've earned their trust. Of course, I am way over my head.

**You should write a review, like now. By the way… her nickname is Sara and her name is pronounced like Sigh-ra not like the country Syria. **

**Each Chapter title is a song I love that goes with the chapter.**


	3. Its Time

_**So this is what you meant**_

_**When you said that you were spent**_

_**And now it's time to build from the bottom of the pit**_

_**Right to the top**_

_**Don't hold back**_

_**Packing my bags and giving the academy a rain check**_

_**I don't ever wanna let you down**_

_**I don't ever wanna leave this town**_

_**'Cause after all**_

_**This city never sleeps tonight**_

"Here is your gun and badge. Your desk is in front of Fin's. It's good to have you on this team." Cragen hands Syria her service weapon and badge for NYPD Special Victims Unit. I had come back out the bathroom and say Amaro and her talking. I didn't hear much. Except for the depressing fact her sister had cancer.

I watch her step over to grab the items and make her way over to what used to be Amanda's desk. Automatically, I could tell things were bound to change.

*One Month Later*

Syria.

"Come on you know you want to participate." Nick shakes my shoulders as him, Fin and Olivia and I sit in front of the TV in the one-six at the long table at 8 pm. They were watching a stupid contest show and some girl didn't really care for the name, had started singing and the three of them just had to join in.

"Not much of a singer. Sorry." I say pulling my headphone on my ears and continuing to mess with my phone for a change.

"I bet, you want to sing as great as us." Olivia laughs. The first week I had gotten here, she seemed to have some type of hatred towards me, but I paid no attention to it and some time ago she finally decided to treat me like I exist.

"Sorry but these things called headphones were designed to block out people singing." I say.

"Okay Miss. Tattoos and Sneakers." Fin points out.

I raise my eyebrows. "As much as I want one, I don't have a tattoo but I do admit to wearing sneakers."

"Radian, Amaro we have a body by the Hudson. Severe vaginal trauma." Captain Cragen announces, saving me from their singing.

"Anything to get away from America's least favorite idols." I say standing up and grabbing my coat of the back of the chair and walking out with Amaro.

"That's just cold. I see how you feel." Fin crosses his arms over his chest.

Nick and I walk out the one-six.

"Our singing was wonderful. You're just jealous." He states as me climb into the car.

"Whatever strengthens your ego?" I laugh.

"You know, Fin is right you are cold. Very cold." Nick starts the ignition and begins to drive.

"I'm just one frigid bitch aren't I?"

"Pretty much." He finishes.

After about 15 minutes of driving in insane traffic, we arrive at Hudson River to find Melinda Warner and some other ME surrounding the crime scene.

"What do we got Melinda?" Melinda looks up to me with a smile.

"It's good to see people who know how to do their job. We got 5 rookies out here." She points to the other ME's and CSU around the crime scene.

"You won't die." Nick laughs.

"Late teens, early 20's, abrasions to the head, torso and thighs. Semen and blood caked everywhere. I won't know more until I get her to the morgue." Melinda replies. The body had blue hair actually and from what I could tell green eyes.

"Wouldn't the water wash everything away?" I ask.

"My guess is she wasn't in very long. Maybe 10 minutes and then someone found her. The cold didn't help."

"Thanks Melinda." Nick and I walk back to the car and climb back in.

"How is your sister doing?" The question is almost surprising.

"They say she's getting better but I don't know." I reply buckling my seat belt.

"What's her name?"

"Um, Demetrius."

"That's a cool name." The awkwardness of this conversation wasn't getting any lower.

"You're weird." I laugh.

"Says the frigid bitch."

We arrive back at the precinct. The rest of the day is filled with coffee and paperwork.

"I can't believe it." I say leaning back in my chair.

"What?" Fin questions looking at me.

"I finished all that paperwork." I put the pencil I was holding down. "I might actually get to leave early."

"Make sure no one sees you." He smiles. I start to stand up and walk out the precinct with my coat when Cragen calls me into his office. I had just slipped my arms through the dark green pea-coat. I continue to put the coat on though, ad walk into his office.

It was only around 6pm and the sun was starting to set. The orange and pink glaze from the windows in his office gave the tone a happier feeling.

"What's up Cap?" I say holding my hands in my pockets.

"Sit down, Sara."

"What's going on?" I sit down in one of the chairs.

"Syria," Captain sighs greatly and this just worries me.

"Captain, your freaking me out over here."

"I got a call from Mount Sinai hospital. I'm sorry, Syria, Demetrius passed away. The cancer took its toll."

I feel like all the air has been taken out the room and replaced with a poisonous gas that burned my lungs. I feel a tear slip out my eye. I don't want anyone to see me cry. I can't appear weak. I stand up and walk out his office. The tears in the back of my eyes burn more and I end up running faster into the bathroom.

Olivia.

Everyone, including me, stared at Syria when she ran out of Cragen office. He came right out after her. All you saw was a flash of tan olive skin and a green coat run into the bathroom. We all looked to Cragen and he shook his head and walked back into his office.

I stand up and make my way into the bathroom. Only one stall door was closed and I assumed it was Syria who occupied it.

"Sara?" I say. "I can see your shoes. You can't hide."

"Yes I can, if I try hard enough." Syria's voice was different. Her some-what soft and acute voice was more dry and solid.

"Open the door, please." I ask trying not to provoke her.

"Go the hell away."

"Syria."

"Olivia, I don't want to have to physically strike you. Go away."

"You wouldn't." I am shocked by her threat but hold my stand.

The door to the stall clicks open and I see a different Syria. Her hair was out of its usual braid and her tan skin looked paler. I could see a stone cold face still. She was good at that.

"Go. Away." She repeats.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong." I was using demand. Before I could say anything else, I am shoved against a wall with a certain someone's tan arm against my neck.

"My personal life is exactly that. Until you or I get paid to be friends, please stay out of my life." I stand there in the bathroom stunned and confused on what just happened. A ringing goes over the bathroom and I find out it came from the stall Sara was in. I walk into the stall to find her phone laying on the ground vibrating and ringing still. The caller I.D read someone named _Samuel_.

God this was frustrating. I didn't know whether to answer the phone or leave it. I decide to pick up the phone and give it Sara. So at least I am not invading her oh-so sacred privacy or being a bitch. I let the phone stop ringing and walk out the bathroom. I am greeted by the eyes of Munch, Cragen, Fin and Amaro staring at me as I hold her phon.

"What the hell did you do to her?" Fin says.

"I didn't do anything more like what she did to me." I say referring to my neck which was sore from her strong pressure.

"What did she do?" Nick questions.

"She nearly fucking choked me to death." I exclaim placing her iPhone on her desk in front of Fin. "What's wrong with her?" I ask Captain.

"Her sister died this morning." He says.

"Oh my god."


	4. Breathe Me

**Help, I have done it again**

**I have been here many times before**

**And the worst part is there's no one else to blame**

**Be my friend, hold me**

**Wrap me up, unfold me**

**I am small, and needy**

**Warm me up and breathe me**

Nick.

"Syria, I know you're in there." I say lightly tapping on her door. After tapping on it once more, I find the door is open and step inside.

There was a small tan couch in front of a large window that looked out on the city. That's where Syria sat, with her knees to her chest in front of the window.

"Syria?" Her olive skin looked paler and her hair was out against her back. This was the first time I have seen her with her hair out. It was always in its long braid or in a ponytail.

"Why are you here?" She says.

"To see how you are feeling." I reply walking over to the couch. The closer I get to her face the more anger and sadness I see.

"Obviously not to good." Outside the window it was raining. Hard. Lighting and thunder struck everywhere.

"I am sorry about your sister."

She doesn't say anything. Just stares out the window her mind somewhere else.

"How to her were you?" I take a seat on the couch next to here trying not to invade her space.

"I was older than her by 14 months. I would always get myself into trouble and she would always bail me out some way." Syria stands up and goes over to lock her door.

"How so?"

"I remember once I just couldn't stop I went on and on arguing with this girl because I have serious problem keeping my cool and I shoved her onto the ground and I almost got kicked out of my school because of it and Demetrius convinced the principle to let me stay."

I watch a tear slip out her eye and reach into my pocket and hand her back her phone.

"Where did you get this?" She asks.

"You left it in the bathroom after you 'choked' Olivia." I say laughing.

"Correction." Sara wipes the tear of her face. "I reduced her breathing." She smiles.

"Same thing." I point out.

"Nuh uh."

We smile at each other and the lightning and thunder stops outside. Was I attracted to Syria? Yes. Who wouldn't be? She had beautiful olive skin which I thought at first was a tan, after numerous weeks I realized it was her skin color. Her angular face and long nose matched her skin perfectly with her blue eyes. She was also one of the most determined and passionate people I knew. And her small stud nose piercing was probably the sexiest things I have ever seen on somebody. Especially her.

"Where are you from?" I ask.

"California. I thought you knew that." Syria replies.

"No I mean. What is your nationality?"

"I don't know. I wish I did."

"You don't know?"

"I don't even know who my biological parents are, Nick. Never less my nationality."

"That's tough." Added to the list of things I know about Syria.

"Too many people have told me I look Middle Easterner." She continues. We were still in our same position. Smiling at each other.

"Only DNA could tell."

"I guess so. "

"How are you feeling?"

"How any typical person would feel if there sister died."

"I think we all know you're not a typical person."

"I guess I am just having a hard time accepting it." She grips her knees tighter and I wrap my arm around her shoulder and I feel her muscles relax.

"It's okay to cry, Sara." I reassure. She lowers her head on my shoulder and I wish we could stay like this. I didn't know if she a significant other in her life. Syria could have a lover or boyfriend. I wouldn't know.

"I know, I am just used to holding everything back." I stroke her hair with my hand and I can still feel her relaxing. We sit like this for another 5 minutes when she sits up from off my shoulder.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"Yeah, better actually. I am sorry that was unprofessional for me to close to you like that." Syria stands quickly.

"No, it wasn't unprofessional if you're better now. I am glad I could help." I say standing with her.

We walk over to her door and she opens it and before I walk out she stops me. Syria steps up to me and hugs me. At first I am shocked but wrap my arms back around her.

"Thank you, Nick." She whispers in my ear.

"Glad I could help." I walk down her hallway, pleased with myself for earning a hug from the women I found most desirable.

Next Day. Olivia's POV.

I had personally avoided Syria. Yes, I was pissed. I tried to make her feel better and she tries to choke me death! I was in the crib resting from a 10 hour shift when she walked in after me.

"What do you want?" I say staring at her. I was trying to be as cold as possible.

"Nice to see you too." Syria replies holding her hands in the pockets of her brown jeans.

"What do you want?" I repeat.

"I wanted to say," She clears her throat. "I am sorry about yesterday, I was out of line."

"No kidding." Awkwardness fills the room as we just stand there. Her hair was straightened down and part of covered her face from her looking at the floor.

"Is your neck okay?" She asks.

"Yeah."

"Good." She turns to leave the cribs and walks out the door.

Syria.

Does Olivia always make things awkward?

"Nice hair-do." Cragen says looking at me. Frankly, I haven't seen him all day and it's now 8pm. "We have a rape and murder of 2 girls at Southern Breeze apartments.

I shot my head up. "Who?"

"You know anyone there, Radian?" Captain asks me.

"I live in those apartments." I answer.

"A young African American woman found hung in her closet, an X on her stomach. Apartment 32." He adds that Fin and I should go.

We grab our coats off the back of our chairs and head out.

"How are you holding up?" Fin questions as we climb in the sedan.

"I am okay. Why?" I reply buckling myself in the car.

"I heard about your sister."

"I perfectly fine."

"And the sudden hair change is?"

He starts the car and begins to drive. "I decided to actually be a girl for once and read a fashion magazine."

"Be a girl for once?" Fin raising his eyebrows at me.

"As a child, I didn't find the time to act like other girls and gossip or go to prom. I always tried to improve my grades to the highest and take care of my sister."

"Why?"

"You love asking questions don't you?"

"Yes."

"My sister and I grew up in a foster home. A poor one at that. We didn't and still don't, know who our biological parents are. I had a goal set on going to a specific college and worked towards that to an extreme." I exhale heavily.

"I'm sorry."

"What is there to be sorry about?" I ask smiling at Fin's concern.

"You didn't get to enjoy your childhood."

"And?"

"You're supposed to enjoy childhood." He points out.

"I somewhat did. I got the gift of knowledge and I am thankful that I did."

"Did it work?" Fin's eyes never meet mines but stay directly on the road.

"What?"

"Your dream."

"Yes, paid off in a fat check."

"What did you study?"

"Architectural Design and Art at Princeton University. I am a nerd. I loved architecture and art a lot."

"Princeton's an expensive school."

"I won a lot of art scholarships and I got a partial scholarship for being a extraordinary student."

"You must've been a good artist."

We have to stop our 'conversation' on my personal life because we arrive at my apartment building also known to us as the crime scene.


	5. Anything Could Happen

**Stripped to the waist **

**We fall into the river  
Cover your eyes  
So you don't know the ****secret****  
I've been trying to hide  
We held our breath  
To see our names are written  
On the wreck of '86  
That was the year  
I knew the panic was over**

**Yes since we found out  
Since we found out  
That anything could happen  
Anything could happen  
Anything could happen  
Anything could happen  
Anything could happen  
Anything could happen  
Anything could**

Syria.

I knew I didn't know this woman. And I most likely would have never. Her apartment was a mess. Large pale blue sofa's and white furniture was tossed and broken everywhere. A large hole the size of my head was in the far wall.

"What the hell happened here?" Fin exclaims. The closet door was wide open and the African-American woman was strung up in undergarments.

"Rachelle Monsani, age 25 works as a hospital receptionist at Bellevue." Melinda appears from a room on our left and steps in front of us.

"How do you know all that?" I ask Melinda.

She holds up a job I.D with a clear picture of the dead woman in front of us. Dark brown eyes and matching skin and hair.

I spot a framed picture of our victim, a man in his late 20's and a little boy around 7 years old. "Looks like someone had a family.'

"A happy one at that." Fin adds. I walk in and out of rooms in the house to see if there was a little boy living here.

"No boy's room." I say returning from my 'tour'.

"Maybe a nephew."

"Maybe."

Two Days Later. Nick.

The sounds of music became aware of as I entered the Alfonso Recreational Center in Upper Manhattan. The smell of bleach and…old metal filled my nose.

"Can I help you buddy?" An older man, maybe in his 50's, sat at a desk right in front of the door. His name tag read Daniel Ruffman.

"Mr. Ruffman, I am here for the dance program in there. Visiting someone." I answer.

"Hmm. You one of Mrs. Radian's friends?" He asks. His face was scrunched like a bull dogs. "She doesn't get a lot of those."

"Yeah. I work with her."

"Go right ahead."

With each step my shoes make, the music gets louder. I hear her voice tell whoever was in there to start over. I move very quickly and quietly to step in the large gymnasium so no one notices me.

She stood there arms across her grey and black off the shoulder shirt and tight yoga pants that held her curves in all the right places. Here I am, sexually visualizing the person I work with. There were maybe about 10 girls. From what I could tell they looked from 12 all the way to 15.

"Okay, let's try again then we are done for today." Syria walks up to her phone and still doesn't notice me standing by the door. This was good. The music comes on and I have to say, either the girls were really good dancers or Syria was a kick-ass teacher. From what I could tell, the song didn't have any words to it but it very fast.

At the end of their dance when the music goes off, I clap my hands loud enough for Syria to turn towards me. Her face showed mixed emotions, from tiredness to surprise to confusion. She shakes her head playfully and turns back to the girls.

"Okay guys, we are done for today, has a good Christmas and New Year!" Syria shouts as the girls prepare to leave. Syria waits until all the girls are out the door to address me.

"Who told you where I was?" She asks. Putting on her coat and hat.

"Olivia." I smile at her.

"I am going to kill her." She heads for the door but I block her.

Syria.

"Are you going to move?" I ask with a playful smile. I try and go out through the right but he blocks me.

"Nope." He answers.

"Okay then. We just stay here till we starve to death"

"If that's what it takes."

I cross my arms over my chest. "If what takes?"

He puts his hand on my neck and kisses me quickly before I have a chance to react. I'm not going to lie, it was good. Can't blame me for that. But I didn't want to date Nick or be with him in any type of way. Nick breaks from the kiss and looks at me with a smile that quickly fades when I don't return it.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

"Nick, don't take this the wrong way but I don't see myself being in that type of relationship with you. Nor do I want to." I say with a sigh.

"You're already seeing someone?"

"No, and I don't exactly plan on it really soon."

"Oh." He steps far enough out the way for me to walk through the door and I do. God that was awkward as hell. "Syria." I turn back around to find Nick there. Dressed in jeans and a grey sweater for a day off. "Merry Christmas."

I put on a sly smile and continue to walk to my car.

Nick.

Had I screwed up that bad? What was wrong with me? She wasn't seeing anyone so why couldn't she be with me. Was I not good enough? I watched her get into her Sonic LT and drive off before getting in my own vehicle. I really needed a drink.

Syria. Hours Later.

I shut off my TV finally after sitting in front of it since of gotten home and head into my bedroom. My mind was clogged. Let's face the facts. It was 3 days till Christmas. As off from work and oh yeah, my co-worker had kissed me. Just peachy.

I had stayed in the shower longer than I usually would have trying to work out this fucked up scenario in my head. After I had finally laid down in my bed, I was still confused on why he kissed me. Of course, he had some attraction to me but still, just to up and kiss me?

I watched the city out my window before looking down at my clock. 2:34 AM. A knocking at my door caused me to grab my gun off my nightstand. It was 2 in morning; no one comes to visit someone at 2 in the morning on Christmas Eve.

"Who is it?" I ask holding my head to the door to listen.

"It's me, Nick." The voice answers. I put down my gun on my kitchen counter before walking back over to open the door.

This was a different Nick Amaro. His face was twisted into an evil shape and he stared at me with lust in his eye. I didn't like this Nick and tried to close the door but he lodged his foot in and burst his way inside.

"What the hell, Nick?" I say.

He lunges forward at me and tackles me to the ground and punches me in the stomach. I knee him in between his legs and go to grab for my gun but he pulls me back to the ground. I feel ribs broken as this raged Nick took his way.

Nick positioned himself on top of me. He had the weight and size advantage so I couldn't move.

"What the hell is your problem you animal?" I shout.

"So I am an Animal now? I am below you huh? Am I not worth your time?" He answers. I feel his hand on my stomach. I could already see the bruises and broken bones. Nick moves his hand up my shirt and do everything I can to get him the hell off of me.

"No, No, No, None of that." He smiles predatorily.

"You're lonely, Nick. Maria left you and took your daughter with her. I am a last option right?" This was the only thing I could do. Talk. He moves his face close to mines. Nick reeks of booze.

I feel something hit my head and my vision turns blurry. The last thing I feel is my pants bing pulled down.

**Okay. You guys got a cliffhanger, I need a review. They are total motivation.**


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